Rest, Warrior
by Briee
Summary: The war is done. Hermione is learning to cope. HxR. One-shot.


Hermione Granger set her bags down in Ginny's room at the Burrow and sighed. Not only had the battle been long and gruelling but the day had consisted of her having to repeat the story many times over and feel the fresh pain of loss each time. She had received a change of clothes and a cleaning spell had been used on them all, but Hermione still felt dirty and in need of a bath. Maybe it was just the ritual of having the bath, the hot water, the soap, that gave that clean feeling. Exhaustion was filling her bones and even though she had taken a nap sometime during the day, she felt as if she would be eternally tired. Laughter bubbled on her lips at the thought, but she couldn't think of why it would be funny. Hermione unzipped one of her bags and got out some pyjamas along with shampoo, soap and a toothbrush before making her way towards the bathroom. She had thrown away the Bottomless Handbag, valuable though it was, because to her it symbolized the deprivations of the war.

She was glad that, when she got there, the loo was not occupied. Hermione closed the door and began drawing her bath. She shed her clothes and inspected her body's numerous cuts, bruises, and burns. Some of the bigger gashes and hurts had been healed already, but the spell wasn't a miracle worker and she hadn't wanted to stay in the hospital wing to wait for her body to be completely healed. She shut off the tap for the hot water and stepped in. The water was hot but her body felt so numb that she barely felt it. The steam made her nose run a little, but it was the only thing that was uncomfortable. After soaking for a while, she washed her hair and body before stepping out, watching the dirty water go down the drain. Hermione rinsed the sides and then towelled herself off.

How marvellous it felt to be clean, she thought as she took a moment before putting on her pyjamas. Once she was in her plush pants and an oversized t-shirt, she made her way back to Ginny's room. She opened the door and found Harry and Ginny sitting on her bed. Harry's arm was around the red-head's shoulders and she was leaning on him.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt!" Hermione said, feeling embarrassed. She thought it was a strange sentiment since she hadn't walked in on them doing anything wrong, but she knew she should have knocked.

"It's fine," Ginny said, slightly moving away from the boy next to her. "We were just talking."

Harry quickly glanced at Hermione and she could see the pain in his eyes. She decided that alone time with Ginny was what he needed, so she put down her stuff and left the room. She shut the door on her way out.

The thought of wandering the halls held no appeal for her so she moved towards the direction of Ron's room. Behind it, she could hear sobbing, and she knew that she didn't want to bother whoever it was. She had a strange feeling that whoever was behind the door would not appreciate the intrusion. There was a lot to mourn. Fred, Tonks, Lupin, many others, gone.

She went to the kitchen, but had no desire for food. The thought of wanting an alcoholic beverage came to her mind, but she doubted that the Weasleys kept any in the house. A nice glass of vodka maybe, or some rum. She could almost taste the heat in the back of her throat and she wanted to lose herself in the alcohol even if just for a night. Instead, she poured herself a glass of water. She brought the glass to her lips but did not take a sip. A warm air blew in from the open window above the sink, and the moonlight streaming through was the only thing that illuminated the room. If anyone were to come downstairs, Hermione doubted they would see her in the shadows. Restless, she got up from her perch against the counter, disposed of her water and went outside. In the country, it wouldn't matter that she was just wearing pyjamas.

The breeze was stronger out here, and Hermione's hair whipped all around her face. Automatically, she placed her hand on her wrist to find an elastic, but she found none. It was an old habit from the war, one she told herself she was going to break.

She walked around the yard some in mindless circles, not really paying attention to where she was going. A chicken ran in front of her and a little scream came from her. Placing her hand on her heart, she felt it pump wildly in her chest. Hermione glanced back at the Burrow, hoping that no one had heard her. After what had happened to all of those hours ago, she shouldn't be afraid of anything anymore.

Finally, Hermione went to sit on an old swing set that looked as if it hadn't been used in many years. Spider webs had accumulated and the slide was cracked in half. A simple _Repario_ spell could fix it but nobody had bothered. Even the swings themselves squeaked and groaned in protest of her weight. She leaned against the chains covered in plastic, which brought back memories from her childhood. A swing set similar to this one had inhabited her own backyard and she had spent hours on it pretending she could fly when the wind blew in her face and her hair whipped around. Now she couldn't even stand the feeling of being on a broom and she doubted, at this point, she ever would.

The sound of crunching feet startled her and Hermione looked up. A tuff of red was coming her way and she immediately recognized it as Ron. His hands were shoved in the pockets of his jeans and the t-shirt he was wearing was a little too small for him, which accentuated the muscles he had gained over the year. Hermione silently thanked the person who gave him the shirt at the Ministry.

Ron made his way to the swing set and sat down next to her, the groaning and creaking making louder sounds than when she had sat. "Hey."

"Hey."

"I would ask how you were doing, but I think I know the answer. It's how we're all doing."

"I think we are all getting by in any way we possibly can. Harry has Ginny, your parents have each other."

"We have each other," Ron said, grabbing Hermione's hand. "Forever." A small smile played on Hermione's lips, the first one in a long time. He dropped her hand and suddenly got up. "Let's go for a walk." He extended his hand for her to take and she gladly did as he wanted.

The two walked around the yard hand in hand, and Hermione could almost forget the horrors of the past night. The breeze stirred Ron's hair and she got a whiff of how good he smelt. He too had taken a bath it seemed.

How long had she wanted this, walking around with Ron, hand in hand?

"So what were you saying about Harry and Ginny before?"

"Oh Ron, no need to get your knickers in a twist. They were just sitting on her bed talking."

"Oh her bed?"

Ron sounded so much like himself at that moment that Hermione had to laugh. "You can't protect Ginny for the rest of her life. She will have sex one day, and wouldn't you rather you liked the bloke?"

"But it's just the thought…"

"Ron, don't even go there… think of something else."

"Like you and me?"

Hermione looked up at the red-head. "Yes, like you and me." There was no point in being bashful or embarrassed. If there was anything she had learnt was that life was too short.

"You know that I dreamt that one night I would have the courage to ask you to make love to me just once in case we died. Then I would have died happy." Hermione could see the tip of Ron's ear turn a slight shade darker. Embarrassment was apparently still embedded in Ron, she thought.

"I thought of the same thing," she said to him. "I guess neither one of us had the courage."

"We made it out of the war though."

"Maybe destiny was trying to tell us something."

"Hermione, all these years, you've never believed in stuff like that."

"I've just seen at lot of things. It changes a person. Believe me, when we first started school, I never imaged anything like this happening. Not any ounce of it."

"Same. We're heroes now, Hermione. Heroes. All my life I've been second, third and even fourth best compared to my brothers. Now, I'm equal. I've played my part in saving the world… and I got the girl in the end as well."

"Sounds like the plot of almost any movie."

"Well, since I've only ever seen one, I can't agree."

Hermione stopped walking. "Ron, it's over."

"What?" Ron had a shocked look on his face. "What did I do?"

"No, no, I'm not meaning us. I just mean everything else. The war is over. The hiding in fear. No more living in a tent. If I never go camping again, I will be happy. We won. The threat is over." Huge tears welled in her eyes at the thought. Tears of happiness mixed with tears of sadness, and Hermione buried her face in Ron's chest. He awkwardly patted her back, still oblivious on how to react to a crying woman.

After Hermione's sobs had subsided, Ron continued to hold her to his chest. "I love you," he said finally, breaking the silence. "I have for a long time, and as silly as it may sound, it took a life-threatening situation, and you know I don't throw that word around lightly after everything we've been through, to realise just how much I loved you."

"I love you too Ron," Hermione said before getting on the tip of her toes and planting a kiss on Ron's lips. He was startled for a moment but quickly recovered, kissing her back.

"You know, when we first were friends, I loved you in a friend-type way. We were too young back then to know what love was. Then 4th year came around and I was too chicken to ask you to the ball. I wanted to kill Krum. Harry had to talk me out of it more than once, I will assure you."

"Yeah, but last year you started dated Lavender."

By the way she had said the girl's name, Ron could tell there was some hatred and he winced. "Yeah well, stupid me took advice from the twins who told me that it would make you jealous." Ron's face fell suddenly. "I guess we won't be calling them the twins anymore…"

Hermione reached up and touched Ron's cheek. "Let's not think of that anymore. It's been enough for one night. But they were right. I got jealous."

Ron chuckled, but the brunette could tell it was half-hearted. "Yeah, I figured that one out by your silent treatment and the throwing of canaries."

"Look Ron, we're going to need each other to get through this. It will be rough and we will probably row for days and weeks. But know that I love you. I want to be with you. Not Krum, not Harry, not anyone else. You. So let me in if it will help. I know it hurts, but this burden is meant for two."

Tears were shining in Ron's eyes and he hastily wiped them away. "Right now, having you in my arms telling me this makes me feel slightly better."

Hermione yawned. "Can we go to bed?"

"Ulp, you mean—"

"No, no, I feel as if I'm going to fall asleep any second from exhaustion. But would you mind my sharing your room?" Some instinct told her NOT to go back to Ginny's room tonight, though she didn't want to explain that to Ron.

"Sure. George decided he wanted to stay in his room tonight instead of avoiding it, so we have my room to ourselves." Ron returned to his old self for a moment. "I mean, as long as it's, you know, okay with you… is it?"

"Ron, it's perfect."

Grinning he kissed Hermione and lifted her bridal style. The brunette vaguely remembered getting back indoors, and when Ron deposited her on his bed, she instantly fell asleep.

The next morning, as Hermione was slowly waking, she cuddled closer to the heat source she was holding on to. Instantly, she knew it was Ron and when his arms tightened around her, she lulled back to sleep. The second time she woke, darkness had crept into the room. Hermione rolled over but found the bed to be empty. She could hear a ruckus downstairs so she got out of bed. She went to reach for her robe, forgetting for a moment that she wasn't in her room with her own things. She ran her fingers through her tangled hair before going downstairs.

In the kitchen, Hermione found Ron and George arguing over the last piece of cake, with Harry and Ginny watching them with interest. Ginny was sipping a hot beverage (Hermione assumed it was tea) and when she spotted the brunette, she put it down and rushed over.

"You've slept all through the day! You must be starving." Suddenly, she scrunched up her face. "I just sounded so much like Mum right there."

"And is that a problem?" Molly asked as she came in from outside, sounding more amused than annoyed. It was difficult to believe that the kindly mother had killed the formidable Bella Lestrange the previous night. That was probably one subject nobody should ever mention in her presence, ever.

"No, of course not Mum. It's just a little strange." Ginny turned back to Hermione. "Want some tea? I got these really good flavoured ones for my birthday."

"Sure."

The two girls walked over to a cabinet where a wooden box sat. Ginny lifted the lid and whispered "I have to tell you something later."

"About you and Harry?"

Ginny's cheeks turned red and she nodded. Hermione smiled and picked a peppermint one before sitting down next to Ron while Ginny heated the water.

"I saved you the last piece of cake," Ron said, pushing the plate towards Hermione. "I had to fight quite hard to get it."

"What are you talking about?" George said. "I let you have it so that you could show off for your girlfriend."

"Keep telling yourself that you let me win. But we all saw me win."

Molly suddenly cut in. "So does this mean that you and Hermione are together?"

A small grin shone on Ron's face and Hermione couldn't help but smile as well. The red-head wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "What do you think Hermione? Are we together or not?"

"Oh, I dunno. I was going to admit a lifelong love for your brother Percy…" The moment the words came out of her mouth, she began laughing. "Of course you dunce! Why else would I have put up with you for so long?"

Everyone laughed and Hermione felt as if they had all forgotten for a moment their pain. Unspoken words hovered in the air but no one said them.

After a while, everyone dispersed. The boys went outside to play some Quidditch, while Hermione and Ginny returned upstairs to chat. It almost felt like old times, but with one small element missing. Or rather, one person was missing.

The two girls sat on Ginny's bed and as soon as they had soundproofed the room, Hermione said: "Tell me everything."

The red blush painted Ginny's cheeks again but she spoke. "Well, last night, after you had gone to take a bath, Harry came in. I invited him to sit on the bed and we talked. He told me about how much he missed me while he was gone and that all he could think about was me. Well, besides the war. Anyways, he took my hands and said that he loved me, he had for a long time but didn't want to break my heart if he died. Yeah, fat chance there. I've loved him since I first met him."

"Ron told me about your craziness when Harry came over that first time."

"Yeah, that was interesting. Anyways, getting back to the story. You walked in just after Harry declared his love for me. After you left, I told him I felt the same way, but he was not allowed to just up and leave me when things got rough. Just because he left to fight and didn't want me to pine for him or whatever doesn't mean I wouldn't. I told him how much I hated him for leaving me instead of embracing all the time we could have had together before you lot had to leave. Anyways, he kissed me, and said that nothing he could do could ever make up for hurting me, but that he was willing to try. And oh boy, try he did."

Hermione's eyes went wide. "No! You two…."

"Yup." Ginny was smiling and Hermione couldn't help but smile as well. "It was awesome. A little awkward too, but mostly awesome."

"Details!"

The two girls continued chatting for a few hours, Ginny giving the brunette the details she wanted. Hermione had forgotten how good it was to talk with another girl and she relished in the feeling.

Ron and Harry came to find their respective girls when they had finished their game. Hermione promised Ginny that she would talk to her later and left with Ron.

Once they were settled on Ron's bed, Hermione said, "I think Harry and Ginny will be good for each other."

"Oh? And what about us?" Ron asked as he nuzzled her cheek with his nose. "Are we good for each other?"

Hermione laughed and cuddled up to Ron. "I dunno if 'good' is the right word. And we fight a lot usually. That's the opposite of good."

"I think we only fought because of the sexual tension."

"Ron, we fought when we were eleven. We didn't even know what sexual tension was."

"Well back then it was because I didn't like you being a bossy know-it-all."

"Yes, well I wasn't hearing you come up with bright ideas. I had to be the bossy know-it-all to save our lives. On more than one occasion if I recall."

"Well, I beat the chess game."

"And I did everything else."

"Yeah, well I did this." Ron suddenly leaned in and kissed Hermione on the lips. It was long and drawn out and created butterflies in Hermione's stomach.

"And you did it well," she said once Ron had pulled away. "But it could be better. Do you want to try again?"

Grinning, Ron leaned in for another kiss.

The next morning, everyone was sitting at the breakfast table. Plates were flying everywhere and everyone was chatting loudly. Ron and George were fighting over the last piece of bacon and Harry and Arthur were discussing the usefulness of a Muggle stereo. Hermione caught Ginny's eye and grinned, which the red-head returned.

This was how they were going to heal. Together, as a family. Because as far as anyone was concerned, she and Harry were now family. And families help each other out.

The End.


End file.
